Beet Salad Recipe
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Jul. 25, 2024
This Beet Salad recipe is sweet, savory, tangy, and creamy all in one bite for a gorgeous fresh salad! Easily prep it ahead of time for busy weeknights or dinner parties.
In This Article
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Why This Recipe Stands Out
Here’s why this recipe is a winner:
- Big, Bold Flavors: Bright red, sweet beets and sweet peppers. Savory, creamy blue cheese. And the salty, crunchy pistachios. It just works for the best combo of flavors, like in our Pistachio Crusted Salmon.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: It’s the perfect prep-ahead recipe for days when you need something impressive yet simple.
- Unique Take: If you’re looking for something different for your next salad, this is it. Give it a spin; we think you’ll love it! Beets make everything taste even better, like in this Roasted Beet Hummus.
- Perfect for Entertaining: This salad is unique with a gourmet flair, yet simple enough.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Fresh Red Beets – These are the star of our salad. They add a sweet, earthy flavor and a beautiful deep red color.
- Sweet Yellow Peppers – We love these for their crisp, sweet flavor. They add a nice contrast to the beets.
- Blue Cheese or Feta Cheese – The tangy, salty flavor of the cheese pairs perfectly with the sweet beets and peppers.
- Salt and Pepper – A simple seasoning of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper helps to bring out the flavors of the other ingredients.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND VARIATIONS
Here are some of our favorite variations and substitutions for this beet salad recipe:
- Cheese: If blue cheese isn’t your thing, feel free to substitute it with Gorgonzola, Roquefort, or feta. They all work wonderfully in this recipe.
- Peppers: If you don’t want to roast the peppers, you can use jarred roasted peppers or simply replace them with more beets.
- Beets: Try using golden beets in addition to the red ones for a colorful and flavorful twist.
- Nuts: Not a fan of pistachios? Feel free to substitute them with your favorite nuts – pecans or walnuts would work great!
STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Wrap each beet individually in foil and roast for about 1.5 hours. Once cooled, peel and dice the beets.
- Place whole peppers directly on a medium-high flame. Turn the peppers until the skins are charred. Once charred, peel the skin, and seed and dice the peppers.
- Whisk together shallots, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil to make the dressing.
- Evenly distribute diced roasted beets and peppers on serving plates. Pour the dressing over each plate and top with crumbled blue cheese and chopped pistachios.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
HOW TO PREP AHEAD
Take a look at our best prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:
- Roast Beets and Peppers: The beets and peppers can be roasted and diced ahead of time. Keep them chilled and allow them to come back to room temperature when you’re ready to serve.
- Prep Dressing: The dressing can also be made a day in advance. Just keep it chilled and give it a good whisk before using.
- Entirely Make Ahead: Make this beet salad recipe entirely ahead of time and store it in an airtight container for up to two days. Pour dressing and top with crumbled cheese and chopped pistachios before serving.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH Beet Salad
Main Dishes
- Serve it with your favorite grilled recipes. We particularly love it with Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Grilled Chicken Thighs.
- For a simple lunch option, serve it with a sandwich. It goes great with a classic turkey or ham sandwich.
Sides
- Roasted Potatoes and Roasted Vegetables go great with the flavors of this beet salad!
- For a heartier meal, consider serving this salad with a side of quinoa or couscous.
Soups
- This salad also pairs perfectly with a warm bowl of soup. Try it with a classic Roasted Tomato Basil Soup or a Curry Butternut Squash Soup.
Commonly Asked Questions
What type of beets are best for this salad?
We recommend using fresh red beets for this salad. You’ll need about 2 lbs without greens. Look for beets that are firm and have smooth skin. Avoid beets that are soft, shriveled, or have deep scratches.
How do I know when the beets are tender?
You can test the tenderness of the beets by inserting a fork or a sharp knife into the thickest part of the beet. If it goes in easily, the beets are tender. The roasting time is usually around 1.5 hours.
What’s the best way to peel the roasted peppers?
After charring the skin of the peppers, let them cool a bit. Then, you can gently peel the skins off under cold running water. The charred skin should come off easily. Once the skin is removed, you can seed and dice the roasted peppers.
How long does beet salad keep?
Beet salad can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Just make sure it’s stored in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
Did you make this?
Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!
Beet Salad Recipe
This beautiful beet salad recipe is impressive, easy, and an awesome way to eat cleanly! Absolutely delicious! Be sure to plan ahead for roasting time of beets; can be done 1 day ahead.
Ingredients
- 3 large fresh red beets, about 2 lbs without greens
- 2 sweet yellow peppers
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 TB fresh lemon juice
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 TB extra virgin olive oil
- 4 oz blue cheese, crumbled, or feta cheese
- ⅓ cup salted pistachios, without shells, roughly chopped
Instructions
- To roast beets, preheat oven to 425F. Separately wrap each beet tightly in heavy foil. Place on baking pan and roast in middle of oven until beets are tender, approx. 1.5 hours.
- Let roasted beets cool a bit, unwrap, and let cool completely. When cool, slip skins off and dice the beets. Set aside.
- Place clean peppers directly on medium-high flame of stovetop. Using tongs, turn peppers over as each side gets cooked – skin will be charred.
- Once entire pepper is charred on the skins, remove from flame and let cool. Gently peel skins off peppers under cold running water. Seed and dice roasted peppers. Set aside.
- Whisk together shallt, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil for the dressing.
- In separate plates, evenly distribute the diced beets and peppers. Pour dressing evenly over each plate of beets and peppers. Top each place with crumbled blue cheese, followed by chopped pistachios. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use disposable gloves when handling beets to prevent your hands from getting stained.
- Roasting the beets with their skins on will make them easier to peel after they’re cooked.
- Charred peppers not only add a smoky flavor but also make them easier to peel.
- Gorgonzola, Roquefort, or feta cheeses all work well in this recipe.
- If you don’t want to roast the peppers, you can use jarred roasted peppers or replace them with more beets.
- Try golden yellow beets as well as red beets.
- Pistachios are a great choice for this salad, but feel free to substitute with other nuts like walnuts or pecans.
- Beets and peppers can be roasted and diced the day before. Keep chilled and bring back to room temp when ready to serve. Dressing can also be made the day before and kept chilled; whisk before using.
- Serve it with your favorite grilled recipes. We particularly love it with Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Grilled Chicken Thighs.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 498mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 215IU | Vitamin C: 61mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 1mg
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